Pre-Dentistry

Pre-professional

Know the Drill

If dental school is in your future, Guilford has the tools to help you get there.

As a Pre-Dentistry student you may major in any discipline, including Health Sciences, as long as you complete the necessary pre-requisite courses for dental school. You will work closely with your advisers to design an individualized course of study. This allows you to complete the required science and social science courses to prepare you for admission to your chosen dentistry program.

Health Science majors also take the Health Science Seminar, a course designed to help you with the graduate school application process, from preparing your personal statement to interview tips and financial planning. During the course, Guilford alumni who are currently in or recently graduated from graduate programs in the health professions often come back to share their experiences with current students. This class should be taken the spring before you plan to apply to dental school.

Take a look at this sample double major for the Pre-Dentistry program. This course of study satisfies the pre-requisites for a graduate program in the health professions while also fulfilling major requirements.

Guilford graduates have or are currently attending dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill, Howard University, Midwestern University, Nova Southeastern University and Temple University.

Pre-professional requirements and course descriptions are available in the online version of the Guilford College Catalog. Use the keyboard shortcuts Control F for PC or Command F for Mac to search the document for your program.

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Health Sciences Department

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Applying to Dental School

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is the required standardized test for all students planning to apply for dental school. The exam should be taken in early summer of the year in which you plan to apply. For example, if you plan to enter dental school the fall after you graduate, you should take the test before or during the summer of your junior year. The DAT is based on the assumption that students have completed one year of biology, one year of general chemistry and one year of organic chemistry and have competency in algebra, trigonometry and other basic mathematics. For more information about the DAT, including registration information and review materials, visit ADA.org.

Most dental schools use the online application service AADAS, which distributes the information to the students’ chosen schools. The completed applications should be submitted by mid-summer of the year before the student plans to enter dental school. For example, if you plan to enter dental school the fall after you graduate, you should submit the application during the summer of your junior year.

Expert faculty advisers are also always available to mentor you through the application process.

Prerequisite Course Requirements for Dental School

Pre-dental students may major in any discipline as long as they complete the necessary pre-requisite courses for dental school. Although admission requirements vary for specific schools, most dental schools require the following Guilford College courses:

BIOL 111 — Integrative Biology: Molecules and Cells

BIOL 112 — Integrative Biology: Organisms, Ecology and Evolution

CHEM 111 — Chemical Principles I

CHEM 112 — Chemical Principles II

CHEM 231 — Organic Chemistry I

CHEM 232 — Organic Chemistry II

PHYS 111 — Introduction to Physics for the Life Sciences I (or) PHYS 117 Physics I

Two semesters of college-level mathematics are required by many programs.

Hands-on Learning

Experience in health-related fields before applying to dental school is essential. Students can gain experience by shadowing dentists and through internships, summer employment and volunteer work. Both the pre-health professions advisers and the Career Development Center can help you find these experiences.